Alfred john keys



(No Model.)

A. J HEYS.

s'rocxme RETAINER.

Patented July'l4, 18

jnveniar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED JOHN HEYS, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

STOCKING-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,961, dated June 14, 1896.

Application filed October 21, 1895. Serial No. 566,294. (No model.) Patented in England July 25, 1894, No. 14,262 in Germany September 13, 1894,1To. 80,313 in France September 17, 1894, No. 241,439, and in Austria December 24, 1894, No.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED JOHN HEYs, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocking-Retainers, of which the following is a specification, and Which was patented in Great Britain July 25, 1894, No. 14,262 in Germany September 13, 1894, No. 80,313; in France September 17, 1894, No. 241,439, and in Austria December 24, 1894, No. 45/735.

This invention relates to a new or improved retainer for stockings and similar articles of Wear, which may be advantageously used in substitution for ordinary garters and suspenders.

The retainer may be constructed of celluloid, horn and its substitutes, ebonite or like materials, or of metal, and, preferably, of

aluminium. It may be briefly described as resembling a coarse-toothed comb having from three to six or seven, and, preferably five, teeth, the contiguous edges of which are undulating. The teeth may all have the same or different lengths and they may be uniformly or difierently spaced or pitched.

The most convenient and useful form of the retainer for general use is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which the figure represents an elevation.

This retainer is supposed to be constructed of sheet aluminium about one-twentieth of an inch in thickness, and has five teeth A,whereof the two outer ones are shorter and the center one longer than the remainder. All the edges of the teeth are undulating, the undulations being regular or irregular, as may be preferred, or they may have a zigzag or other equivalent form to the exclusion of straight edges. The retainer is curved, in a sense,

transversely to the plane of the teeth, so as to fit comfortably upon the leg or other part of the person of the wearer. The upper part of the retainer may have a plain or any desired ornamental outline, and the Whole of the article may be decorated by chased work or otherwise, at will.

To use the retainer in connection with a stocking, for example, the three center teeth of the retainer are tucked inside the top edge of the stocking, the twoouter teeth being outside and the back of the retainer next to the leg. A half turn is noW given to the retainer, and the outer exposed tooth is tucked under the top edge of the stocking. The method of use may, however, be considerably varied to obtain different degrees of tension.

- Thus,with the retainer right side out, tuck the third and fifth teeth under the top edge of the stocking and turn it from right to left, bringing the fifth and second teeth outside; then give another half turn and fasten by tucking the exposed tooth under the stocking, as in the first case.

Having now particularly described my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is A retainer for stockings and similar articles consisting of a comb-like article having three or more fiat teeth all located in the same plane, the end teeth being shorter than the intermediate teeth and the contiguous edges of all the teeth undulating from end to end, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of September, 1895.

ALFRED JOHN HEYS.

Witnesses GEORG NOHL, HENRY BAKER. 

